Maslow’s Needs Theory and the Application in Hospital

Just like shows in this movie “I am Sam”, Maslow’s needs theory can be indentified in our life ubiquitously. Working as a practical nurse,We can apply this theory to the potential client in the future workplace. In the following article, I will use the nursing amputee practice to show the application of this theory.

The Care of Physiological Needs

After the Amputation, the ward air need to keep fresh, temperature and humidity suitable. The amputee should be provided high protein, high vitamins, light, digestible diet, eat fresh fruits and vegetables rich in cellulose. It is also necessary to understand the patient's eating habits, try to meet their requirements in order to enhance appetite, to ensure energy supply, promote rehabilitation.

The Care of Safety Needs

Lost part of the body, the patient may have difficult to maintain the body’s balance and have difficulty to mobile. So strengthening basic care, application of various safeguard are needed. Patient safety measures also include the use of bed column protection. It is very important to disinfection of room air on a regular basis in order to prevent hospital infection.

The Care of Belonging Needs

After hospitalization, patient may be apart away from their families and familiar living environment. This situations are easy to produce loneliness and a strong sense of helplessness. At this time, nurses should be patient and do psychological counseling to enable patients to experience various aspects of care. Let patient to feel the warm, cordial, and to be loved.

The Care of Self-esteem Needs

To satisfied the self-esteem needs,the patients should be treated kindly. If possible, it is helpful to arrange the patient to participate in a number of collective activities and often encourage their strengths and progress, mobilize their initiative and participation, to help patients regain their dignity, to eliminate unwanted sense of helplessness.

The Care of Cognitive Needs

As a patient, usually they would like to know the patient's condition, the potential physiological effects of amputation, but also eager to learn some skills to care for themselves later in life. So the nurse should be act as the information bridge between doctor and patient communication. Be patient and provide patients with accurate, real, effective treatment and rehabilitation programs. To teach patients new life skills. To meet the cognitive needs of patients.

The Care of Aesthetic Needs

If possible, it should be as soon as possible to help patients to install prostheses. This will help patient to restore appearance. Placing flowers in the ward will maintain a health and comfortable environment. Playing soothing music can help patients to feel relax.

The Care of Self-actualization Needs

Amputation will bring about physical disability and shortcomings, most patients will worry about they can not be qualified to work and live in the future. In view of this situation, the nursing process should help patients to improve limb function with exercise, and to achieve the earliest possible restoration of self-care purpose.To enable patients to participate in treatment decision-making and care activities to meet the needs of patients self-actualization.

The Care of Peak experience

For many people, the peak experience is a level which is difficult to achieve. As a nurse, it is important to communication with the patient more, and to introduce the stories of those people who faced with setbacks but not bow to his fate. To enable patients to feel the suffering of disability is also an experience of life. To help patients to feel the true meaning of life.

Conclusion

Maslow’s needs theory is one of the most important humanistic theory which assumtion that the most important internal drive of humans is each individual’s motivation to achieve his or her full potential(2p30-31). this theory can be indentified in our life ubiquitously as while as in the movie “I am Sam”. Working as a practical nurse,We can apply this theory to the potential client in the future workplace, and to let the patient fulfill all level of the hierarchy.